Pawns of Power
by Dawnshadow
Summary: [FF4, incomplete] After FFIV, four of Cecil's closest friends are chosen as the new Fiends. In the past, a Red Mage named Ruby quests to find others with a similar gift. How do the stories connect? (Timeline, Interlude 4 and Chapter 4 added)
1. Timeline

~*~Foreword: A timeline to this point and reference guide~*~

Disclaimer: The _Final Fantasy_ series is copyright Square, and I make no claim to it. I do claim the original ideas and characters in this story, so if you want to use them, ask nicely first, please. If you want this on your website, please wait until it's finished or I quit writing it (which hasn't happened yet.) Then I'll gladly let you, but until then I'm having enough trouble keeping the current version on my own website since I edit "completed" chapters so often; I don't want to worry about everyone else's versions.

But if you want an one-part, I'll let you and link you!

For this 'fic, _Pawns of Power,_ I assume that the games in the (numbered) _Final Fantasy_ series are in chronological order. This story makes references to Final Fantasies I and II, the second of which has not been officially released in the US (yet! The PS remake offers a glimmer of hope.) It has one of the best storylines offered in a NES game (even though the battle system can be annoying at times,) so if you don't mind emulating, there's a decent fan translation out there somewhere

Anyway, here's a timeline to this point... FFIII is mentioned only briefly because so far I've not referred to it in the story. And remember, FFII is the NES one with Frionel the Fighter Clone as party leader, and FFIV is the SNES one starring Cecil. Keep in mind that this is in NO WAY official, it's only for reference, and that it may change at any time.

TIMELINE

Long Ago-- Lunaria is destroyed; the Lune Moon is "parked" over Earth. The Lunarians go to Earth but find that the Humans are not "evolved" enough to relate to them. Zemus gathers followers to take over Earth, but they are stopped and Zemus is forced to go back into Cyrosleep. Another small group of Lunarians, led by LeFin, decide to make a colony on an uninhabited continent and not bother the Humans. The rest of the Lunarians decide to go back to sleep until the Humans develop to the point that they can relate to the Lunarians

-2000-- Final battle against Chaos

0-- Beginning of FFI. Because of the time loop, the events of this game are only a legend and never had an effect on reality. They're still signifigant, though, so a summary lies below

3152-- Paramekia Empire rises.

3157-- Rebel Army rises

3158-3160-- Events of FFII

4125-- Events of FFIII

4925-- One of the Lunar Guardians, KluYa, decides that the Humans may be ready to be joined by the Lunarians. After the Lunar Council disagrees, KluYa sneaks off the Moon and goes to Earth anyway. He teaches the Humans many things, including how to unlock their magic and how to build the Serpent Road. Eventually, he marries and has kids.

5012-5013-- Events of FFIV

Spring 5014-- _Pawns of Power_ begins

FINAL FANTASY I-- A SUMMARY 

_"The world is veiled in darkness. The wind stops, the sea is wild, and the earth begins to rot...."_ The story begins when four young adventurers find themselves united before the gates of a great city, each of them holding a darkened Orb. They soon find that Princess Sara has been kidnapped by the Dark Knight Garland, and they go and defeat him. Some time later, they find that the cause of the darkness is that the four elemental Fiends have stolen the power of the Orbs the warriors carry. The find and defeat the four Fiends; Lich of Earth, Kary of Fire, Kraken of Water, and Tiamat of Wind. Then they discover that the Fiends are from the past and someone has used a Dark Orb from the Temple of Fiends to travel 2000 years to the past. Once they reach the future, they force their future self back to the past. They follow the person to the past, and find that the person is Garland from the beginning of their quest. However, he had been possessed by a demon called Chaos, who is Lord over the Fiends and a powerful foe. The Light Warriors defeat Chaos and prevent the loop from being created, which prevents the adventure from ever happening. Oh, well....

FINAL FANTASY II-- WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

There is a very good summary of FFII floating around-- I think there's a copy at http://www.rpgamer.com/ . But the thing I refer to in _Pawns_ is that at one point the heroes come upon Dist, the city of the Dragon Knights. At the time, the Dragon Knights were famous for riding the great dragons called Hiryuu, but they had not yet developed the Jump attack. The problem was, most of the Dragon Knights and all but one Hiryuu had died in a recent attack, and the only remaining fully trained Dragon Knight, Richard Highwind, had gone on a quest for a legendary magic to defeat those who had killed the Dragons. The Hiryuu leaves an egg that hatches into the last of the Hiryuu, who helps the heroes complete their quest. But what happened to the last Hiryuu?


	2. Prologue: Spring Picnic

Hello again! If you're here for the new chapter, you may want to know that I've edited the Prolouge and Chapter 1, and completely changed Interlude 1. You should re-read them at some point....

* * *

~*~Prologue: Spring Picnic~*~

It was a perfect day for a picnic. The sun was shining, but it wasn't too hot. The trees were beginning to come into leaf, and the dandelions and clover were blooming, making the ground into a carpet of gold and green and white. Birdsong filled the sky, and a small creek babbled just off one side of the meadow.

The silence was broken by the soft sound of Chocobo feet patting on the path that ran through the forest, and two voices laughing in the fresh spring air. The Chocobo broke into the clearing at full sprint, stopping only reluctantly, and the riders dismounted. The woman flipped a large blanket onto the ground and began to unpack a large basket full of food, pulling out breads, pies, cheeses, and a bottle of wine.

The man finished tying up the Chocobo, walked over to the woman, and grabbed her in a bear hug, whispering soft words in her ear. She turned and embraced him in return, kissing him gently.

"I love you...." she said, snuggling into her love's arms.

"I love you, too. Let's eat!"

The two sat down and began to feast. So went the springtime afternoon for Baron's most famous newlyweds. Cecil and Rosa finished their meal and just sat under a tree, content to be together.

"...Ah..." Rosa murmured. A sphere of softly glowing light had appeared. A deep blue-green in color, it hovered just above the lovers' heads. Cecil reached up tentatively, but the will-o'-the-wisp simply floated out of range.

"That's odd..." he murmured, as the ball of light slowly hovered back down to its original position.

"I wonder what it is." Rosa mused, reaching up tentatively herself. The effect was immediate. The orb rushed to her fingers as if they were magnets, surrounding her hand with a soft cerulean aura that quickly faded, absorbed into her body. The two sat in silence for several moments.

"What was that?" Rosa wondered. Cecil had no answer.

_-^-_-^-_-^-_-^-_-^-_-^-_-^-_-^-_-^-_-^-_-^-_

That night, it rained.


	3. Interlude One: Ruby

~*~ Interlude One: Ruby ~*~

_Many generations before the picnic..._

Mysidia was known for its school of magic. Students from all over the world vied for a spot in that school, to learn the art where all the greatest Wizards had learned it. Those that succeeded in becoming students became the best.

Ruby, as he was often called, was determined to be one of the best. He felt that he had done well on the entrance examination, but he and the other students would not find out who had made it until the next day. He had not spoken more than necessary with the other candidates, preferring to stay in his room in the Inn and study his worn magic book.

The book was called The Art of Balance, an old text he had found at a used book sale at a fair four years ago. It was written for a beginning Red Mage, and he had painstakingly taught himself how to cast each spell detailed within its faded covers. There were the three core Black Magic spells: Ice, Fire, and Bolt. There were three simple White spells, as well: Cure, Esuna (which cures poison) and Libra (which showed the strength of an enemy.) That was the limit of the book, but he had practiced constantly, sometimes going to the point of wounding himself to test his Cure spell.

He did so now, gritting his teeth as he ran the tip of his knife along the skin of his forearm. Watching as the blood welled, he chanted the incantation that would bend the magic to his will.

"Power of Healing, obey my command.  
Cure my wounds with Your gentle hand."

It worked perfectly, the wound glowing with a green light as it healed itself. Ruby wiped the blood away with a rag and looked at the unmarred skin. The spell had worked.

_Now all I have to do is wait for tomorrow._

_-^-_-^-_-^-_-^-_-^-_-^-_-^-_-^-_-^-_-^-_-^-_

February. Icy wind filled the air, cold snow covered the ground. The first-year Red Wizards trudged through the snow to their training session.

Ruby sighed. It had been a tough six months. After his acceptance, the Wizards had taken one look at his technique and told him that he was doing everything wrong, using much more power than he should have been using for much less effect than he should have been getting. With that, they wiped the six spells from his mind and started teaching him again. So far, he had re-mastered Cure, Bolt, and Libra, and was working on Fire with his class. They were to stand inside a three-sided stone shelter, casting the spell out into the snow. The first student, Nyssa Orilson, went. Stepping out of the enclosure, she spoke the incantation.

"Power of Fire, come to my call!  
Raze those I fight to help me conquer all."

Nothing happened. Master Rhin, the Master Wizard who oversaw their lessons, simply said, "Try again." Nyssa did, creating a small blaze. Master Rhin nodded, and motioned for Ruby to step up. He did so, and cast the spell on his first try, toasting the grass that had recently been covered by snow slightly.

"Well done," Master Rhin said, smiling, and Ruby smiled back.

Later that day, after the lesson, Ruby was walking near the frozen-over river. Suddenly, he sensed what felt almost like a gentle tug on his magical senses, pulling him toward a small wood. He followed it, walking for almost ten minutes as the tug grew stronger. _I wonder what that could be_, he thought as he followed its lead.

He almost missed it when he came to it, its gleam catching his eye. Looking at it, Ruby saw a shining red sphere, about the size of his fist, sitting on a rock. There was no snow in its immediate area. Ruby picked it up experimentally, weighing it in one hand. It was a little heavier than a normal glass or crystal ball of that size would have been. He could sense its magical power, and it took him only a few heartbeats to decide that it was too powerful for him to be messing with. Setting it down on the stone where he had found it, Ruby decided to get Master Rhin to look at it in the morning.

_-^-_-^-_-^-_-^-_-^-_-^-_-^-_-^-_-^-_-^-_-^-_

When he got back to his room, Ruby took off his cloak and went to his desk, planning on studying his magic.

The orb was there already.

"What the...." Ruby said to himself, confused. "It couldn't have moved on its own." He grabbed it off the desk, felt its promise of power sing in his veins.

_I really should take this to Master Rhin now._

_But Master would probably just take it for study. It's chosen me._

_What am I thinking? It's chosen me? For what? And it's powerful..._

_Powerful. It will help me become the best._

_Yes, it will, but-_

_It is mine! I found it!_

Ruby shook his head rapidly, dizziness overtaking him for a moment.

_That was... strange.... _

He gazed at the orb for a while longer before putting it into a drawer.

_This is getting creepy._ He sighed, resolving to think about what to do with it.

_-^-_-^-_-^-_-^-_-^-_-^-_-^-_-^-_-^-_-^-_-^-_

The rest of the year passed rapidly. Ruby had intended to show the orb to Master Rhin ever since he found it, but he always found himself putting it off until the next day. The one time he actually tried to take it to Master Rhin, the Wizard was out of town. The thought of taking it to someone else never crossed his mind.

It was the beginning of summer, hot and clear and bright. Ruby was holed up in the library, reading out of an old, dusty book.

...And so the Light Warriors found themselves with the four dull Orbs, one for each High Element: Earth, Wind, Fire, and Water. They proved themselves the true Light Warriors by defeating the Dark Knight Garland, said to be the first of that line....

They resolved to go on a quest to re-light those Orbs, by defeating the Four Fiends who held the power of the Orbs captive. After a few minor quests, they found themselves in the village of Melmond, where they battled a Vampire that had taken residence in a nearby labyrinth.... They soon found that the Fiend of Earth, Lich, was also in the cavern, and there they slayed him....

Under the advice of the Circle of Sages in Crescent Lake, the Four went next to the great volcano of Gurgu, and there fought the Fiend of Fire, Kary, They defeated the demon and lit the Orb of Fire anew....

The Light Warriors continued on their quest, finding the lost airship of the Sky Warriors; the elite fighters of a lost people.... They completed a quest for the Dragon-Lord Bahamut, and he gave them his power.... The Four traveled then to the city of mermaids near Onrac, and there vanquished the Fiend of Water, Kraken, restoring the Orb of Water.

The Four found the lost race, the Lefinish, and learned their secrets, and entered the Castle of the Sky, that floats still there today. There they defeated the final Fiend, Tiamat, Queen of all the Dark Dragons who left Bahamut's race to join the force of Evil. And they defeated her, and lit the final orb.... and in the Castle of the Sky they looked down and saw the lairs of the Four Fiends, and they made a perfect square. In the center of that square, there lay ruins, the ruins where Garland had sheltered at the beginning.... And there the Light Warriors united their Orbs and used the Black Orb to travel backwards through time, and there they fought the Fiends each again, and each one was more powerful than before; for they had been reborn by their dark master.... The Four reached the very center of the temple when they encountered the Dark Knight Garland once more, but yet it was not him, but the Emperor of Fiends, Chaos, who had taken his body over after he accidentally triggered the Black Orb in the future, and used the human's body to ensure that the future-Garland was always sent to the past, completing a loop in time.... So the Light Warriors defeated Chaos, and ended the loop in time, and so the Light prevailed.

Orbs. Light warriors. Epic journeys. The ideas dashed in Ruby's head like excited chocobos, and he thought._ What if that Orb was one that belonged to the Light Warriors? What if that is why I was given it?_ In Ruby's mind, the orb had become a gift, not a finding. At that minute, Ruby made his decision: if he had an orb, the Orb of Fire, then logically there must be three others in the world with similar Orbs. And perhaps, perhaps, they were meant to be heroes, the new Light Warriors.

And so the Red Mage "Ruby" Enyesada left on an epic journey with one purpose: to find the three who held Orbs like his own, and to seek adventure. But he realized not that his future lay not in Light, but in deepest Darkness, and that even then the Orb was beginning to change him, slowly....


	4. Chapter One: Stirrings of Power

~*~Chapter One: Stirrings of Power~*~

Baron was often called "the city of stone." Built in times of war, it wasn't beautiful like most of the other great cities of the world. Instead, it was sturdy, surrounded by thick walls, well-fortified. The water was supplied by an underground spring, and it couldn't be cut off or corrupted. The Serpent's Road, the magical teleport between Baron and Mysidia, provided a way in and out of the city, even if it were to be completely surrounded by enemies.

Edge hated it. He glared as he walked through the narrow cobblestone streets, having ordered his guards to stay with the airship. Baron was a cold city, impersonal, designed by frigid-hearted warlords who cared about nothing but destruction. The city still had a strangely sterile feeling, as if nothing truly alive could flourish there.

_I'll have to mention it to Cecil_, he thought as he prepared to enter the palace. Cecil would most likely be glad to spice the town up a bit. Normally, he hated diplomatic meetings, but Cecil had a way of getting right to the point. Maybe it was because he had not been trained from birth to take up the crown, or maybe it was just part of that aura of leadership that surrounded him. Edge noticed that he was approaching the palace gates and straightened slightly as the herald announced his presence.

_-^-_-^-_-^-_-^-_-^-_-^-_-^-_-^-_-^-_-^-_-^-_

Rosa was in the garden again, thinking, staring into the eyes of the stone maiden who perpetually poured water into the fountain from her bottomless jug. The water fell constantly in a silk-smooth column of aquatic beauty, splashing into a marble basin at the maiden's feet, only to be pumped back up through hidden pipes to the jug again. It reminded her of herself, in a way-always giving, always being renewed and giving again. It was soothing, in a way.

"Queen Rosa!" The voice jarred her from her thoughts, and she stood up. The guard who had called to her bowed slightly. "I'm sorry to bother you, your highness, but King Edge has arrived. He is expected in the throne room any moment. I would have informed you sooner, but I could not locate you."

"Thank you," Rosa replied. She started toward the throne room. 

_-^-_-^-_-^-_-^-_-^-_-^-_-^-_-^-_-^-_-^-_-^-_

Edge, King of Elban, leaned back in his chair and let out a belch that could nearly wake the dead, or Cid at the very least. A few of the councilors and servants looked at him oddly, and a small group of passing White Mages tittered softly. But the royal couple paid no mind, used to their old friend's habits.

"So," he started, having finished his dinner, "how are things here in Baron?"

Cecil grinned. "Very well. Cid and his men almost done building a new airship design. It's over twice as fast as the Enterprise is-- we'll be able to go around the world in less than a day!"

After the war, Baron had become a leader in world trade. Their airships were fast and able to go almost anywhere in the world. Because most of the other nations couldn't afford to keep up an airship-- something Baron had been doing for years-- it had a virtual monopoly on aerial shipping. Although Cecil wouldn't allow his country's air shipping rates to be raised to the point of gouging his customers, he tried to keep it comparable to other forms of delivery so as to keep their owners from going out of business.

"We'll be able to deliver more goods and earn more money," the Paladin-King continued. "I'm planning on using some of it to make a public garden in the southeast sector of the city, as you suggested, as well as planting some trees in the center of town. And how is Elban?"

"The rebuilding of the town is almost complete, and we've finished chasing the monsters out of the castle basement so we can fix that. A few people want to continue to live in the caves, though. I can't fault them, though, because the caves are very safe. I guess they'll have a little settlement there and the rest of us will move back to the city. Thank you for your grant of funds for rebuilding..."

"What's to thank? It was our airships that caused the damage in the first place..." Cecil's smile faded slightly as he said that. 

"Cecil...." Rosa touched his hand. "Please, stop trying to bring all the blame on yourself. You know you were the one stopping it, not causing it."

Cecil sighed. "You're right, dear." He turned to Edge. "Well, would you like to go out on the balcony and talk some more?"

Edge nodded. "Sure. Sounds great."

Unfortunately, they didn't get the chance. At that moment, one of the guards- a rookie Dragon Knight in orange armor- dashed in, panting. "I'm sorry for interrupting you, Your... ah... Majesties? But monsters are attacking Baron. Big ones. With claws!"

He looked slightly panicked; he'd most likely not been in a battle before.

The three exchanged a glance, got up, and dashed to their respective chambers to retrieve their respective weapons and armor. 

_-^-_-^-_-^-_-^-_-^-_-^-_-^-_-^-_-^-_-^-_-^-_

Cecil had never seen so many monsters in one place. Ever. He estimated that there were around five hundred various monsters on the plains around Baron, ranging from undead to giant birds to overgrown carnivores. The variety was almost as astounding as the number-- one simply did not see that many types of monsters traveling together. They tended to turn on one another before long.. There also did not seem to be a commander, although the monsters were attacking in perfect formation. This implied that the monsters were being mentally controlled from some distant location-- not good. Even given the fact that monsters were easier to control than humans, Cecil couldn't imagine the power needed to ensnare that many monsters and control them so precisely. It would kill any Human within minutes from the magical strain. And the attack had been going on for nearly an hour, so the enemy most likely wasn't human. From what Cecil knew of their limits, the enemy most likely wasn't Lunarian, either. Wonderful. 

Although the monsters weren't as powerful as some of those that Cecil and his allies had fought on the Moon, they were stronger than the monsters that usually wandered near Baron. The Dragon Knights were out on the plains around the city, Jumping on their commanders' signals. The Red Wings were being mobilized, but they couldn't do anything until the monsters left the vicinity of Baron-- the bombs would destroy the town and the fighters as well as the monsters. And even after the monsters were chased off, the fighters would still be too close for comfort.

Rosa was alternately loosing arrows into the monsters' bodies and throwing healing spells at wounded soldiers. Cecil simply stood and fought those flying monsters that could reach the castle, the bright light thrown from his crystal sword weakening his foes somewhat. Edge also fought, slashing at enemies with his two swords-- one of light, one of darkness. Monster corpses littered the battlefield, and yet they came as strong as ever. The Baronian forces, mostly rookies, began to weary of the battle against an enemy that never stopped or let up, an enemy whose number never seemed to decrease. Those mages who were also on the battlements were tiring as well, their magical power nearly drained.

Edge had fought his way to Cecil's side. "This isn't working!" he shouted, trying to make himself heard above the sounds of battle. "We've got to try something else!"

Cecil didn't look towards him, alert towards any danger. "Have any ideas? I've sent to Mysidia for reinforcements, but the Serpent Road is draining. It'll be at least an hour before the mages are ready to fight!"

"Clear your soldiers from the vicinity! I'll try using some of my magic- these monsters are weak enough that it should wreak some havoc!" Cecil nodded at the wisdom of Edge's suggestion and motioned a nearby general to clear out of a small area. He then prepared to cover Edge if any monster tried to attack while he was chanting his spell. A few did, but they were easily dispatched. These monsters weren't so tough...

_-^-_-^-_-^-_-^-_-^-_-^-_-^-_-^-_-^-_-^-_-^-_

Edge slowly allowed the battle to fade from his mind, seeking the ancient internal power that belonged solely to the Elbajinu- the Ninjas of Elban. Although they seemed outwardly similar to any other magic, they were not made by controlling the raw power of magic and twisting it to their will, as mages did, but by being part of it and allowing it to flow through them. That was why each Ninja had a small but unique set of spells, rarely overlapping or duplicating what had already been done. Warmth filled him as he began the invocation in the Elder Tongue of the Elbajinu.

"Ji reshki aila, tenik leh iyreso ael..."

_You who try to hurt my friends,_ he thought, _will pay for the act. I will show you the power of flame- anger in its purest form._

"...reshki alloyen! Flame!"

The power rushed through him, with him, into him and out again in the form of fire. The firestorm enveloped the battlefield in a rush of heat and light, completely unchecked. Edge found that he had no control over the Flame spell- it did as it would, a will of its own. And yet, he found that he could feel the spell as it engulfed tree and grass and flesh. What kind of flesh didn't matter- didn't Cecil get all of his people out of the way?

It didn't matter. The fire felt good on his skin, he was not burnt though he stood in the middle of the firestorm, the heat high enough to incinerate anything that got too close. The fire felt good as he sensed its power, part of him.

And then it ended. He wondered why it had for a moment before the dizziness struck and he heard an inquiring voice, so far away.... 

Then everything went black.

_-^-_-^-_-^-_-^-_-^-_-^-_-^-_-^-_-^-_-^-_-^-_

Leviathan woke from a sound sleep, panic in his eyes. Something was wrong. The elemental balance had just tipped.

_The last time I felt that..._

He knew it was a sign of something he had thought eradicated. And he knew that somebody had to find it before it got too powerful. And he knew who that someone had to be.

"Rydia." Hopefully she would be ready to return to the surface after all these years...


	5. Interlude Two: The Epic Journey

**~*~Interlude Two: The Epic Journey~*~ **

Ruby soon found that epic journeys weren't always fun and exciting. In fact, at that point his epic journey had left him with muddy boots, a bloody blade, a few wounds that he didn't have the strength to heal anymore, and 160 Gil from battling wild monsters, but not much else. And he was stuck in a light drizzle, a few million miles from civilization, lacking even a wild Chocobo to ride, with a slight tickle in the back of his throat warning of an impending cold.

_How did I get into this mess? _he thought, shivering and feeling the comforting mass of the red Orb in the small pouch he'd sewn into the lining of his red cloak. He was beginning to learn how to harness its power of Fire to warn himself slightly on cold nights- and, lately, cold days. But it was getting to be too much- he knew he'd need a hot meal and a dry bed soon or he'd have nothing left to use even those minor fire-charms with. But where could he go with only 160 Gil?

He continued along the rutted cart trail, sniffling pathetically as he shuffled along and wishing that he was back home in the oasis village of Kaipo. He had always hated the continual hot sun, but now he yearned for it. Ruby noticed that it was getting colder as the sun went down, and he shivered slightly. _I'm going to need somewhere to rest..._

He looked off into the grey mist, seeing a soft shadowy thing. _Is that a house? _

He started towards it, somehow reaching the front door. A light was burning within. He knocked unsteadily, hoping for the owner to be awake.

_-^-_-^-_-^-_-^-_-^-_-^-_-^-_-^-_-^-_-^-_-^-_

Aynora Derrin opened the door slowly, not knowing what to expect, readying her staff just in case....

And stifled a laugh, seeing the soaked, muddy Red Mage on her doorstep. He grinned disarmingly at her.

"Um... would you happen to have any rooms for rent? Just for one night?"

Aynora looked him over. He seemed harmless enough...

"I suppose we might. Let me check." She rushed into the house, into the room where her mother was sitting. Despite her scars, her mother still had all the inner power and grace of the skilled warrior she had once been, and her mind was as sharp as her well-kept sword that she hung over the fireplace.

"Mother!" Aynora said, entering the room. The old woman turned towards her.

"What is it, dear? You sound excited."

"There is a man outside. He wears the traditional garb of a Red Mage. He seeks a night's rent, and offers to pay for the privilege."

"Hmmm.... Yes. Does he seem a good man?"

"He seems to be."

"Well, then. Tell him 35 Gold for a warm bed and two hot meals."

"Yes, Mother." Aynora returned to the door, where the Red Mage stood. "My mother says 35 Gold to cover room and two meals."

The Red Mage bowed. "Thank you, milady," he replied, smiling under his wide-brimmed hat. "I accept your offer with gratitude."

_How sweet, _she thought. "Well... you should get inside before you catch cold. Do you have any dry clothes?"

The Red Mage nodded. "If my pack is indeed waterproof..." He took it off his shoulders and opened it, putting a hand inside. "Yes, my clothes are still dry. Is there anywhere...?"

Aynora led him to the guest room. "I'm sorry that there's no fire going right now. I'll bring a few towels and some embers..."

"I've no need for embers." The Red Mage stacked some logs in the fireplace and chanted: "Power of Fire, come to my call!

Raze those I fight to help me conquer all."

A fountain of fire streamed from his fingers, lighting the logs instantly. He lowered his hand, looking quite weary. He swayed unsteadily, then straightened.

"Are you all right?" Aynora asked, concerned. The mage nodded.

"I will be fine. I just need to rest...."

"I understand... uh.... Oh! I'm so impolite; I haven't even asked your name!"

"My name's Ruby. And yours?"

"Aynora. Aynora Derrin. I should leave so you can get those wet clothes off." Aynora did just that.

_-^-_-^-_-^-_-^-_-^-_-^-_-^-_-^-_-^-_-^-_-^-_

Ruby curled under the heavy blankets in the guest room, the fire now burning down to embers. Dinner had been delicious-- hot Chocobo stew and bread. Aynora had taken his wet clothes so she could clean them. He lazily reached for his orb, before remembering that it was still in his cloak. He cursed quietly and started to find Aynora. He had a feeling that water wouldn't be good for it....

It only took him a minute to find the washroom. Aynora was about to throw the clothes into a pot of hot, soapy water. "Wait!" Ruby called.

Aynora jumped, surprise evident on her face. "What is it?"

"I... left something in my cloak that shouldn't get wet."

Aynora handed him the muddy cloak. He quickly pulled out the orb with a sigh of relief and palmed it, reluctant to let the girl see it. He wasn't fast enough.

"What's that?" Aynora asked, peering at his hand. Ruby sighed and showed her the orb. "Huh," Aynora commented, "that looks like... never mind."

"It looks like what?" Ruby asked, confused. _Does she know another Orb holder? _

"My old roommate from my school had something like that."

"Really? Did she ever tell you anything about it?"

Aynora sighed. "She said it was her good-luck charm, but not much else. She had it put on a necklace by wrapping a wire mesh around it, and she wore it around. But that's about it."

"Really? Where does she live? What's her name? You see, I'm looking for other people with orbs like this, and this is the first sign I've found--"

"But... she had to leave suddenly. She... got into trouble. I'm not free to talk about it...."

"Oh. I see. Where did she go?"

"Back to her home. Toroia."

"Toroia? But that's on the other side of the world!" Ruby sputtered. _If I have to go to the other side of the world to find her... _

"I know. It was a long trip, and she said she wouldn't be back again."

"...I see. Thank you." He turned to go back to his room and sleep.

_-^-_-^-_-^-_-^-_-^-_-^-_-^-_-^-_-^-_-^-_-^-_

Ruby said his farewells and left happy. He finally had a destination, a place to go. Toroia, said to be the most beautiful city in the world. He had to go and find... and find...

_I forgot to ask what her name was! I am an _idiot_! _

He sighed, already a ways down the road, and considered whether or not to go back. _Oh, well. I'll find her. It can't be that hard, after all.... _He continued down the road, back to Mysidia, where he could find a boat or something to get him there. Everything would work out in the end.

Or so he hoped.


	6. Chapter Two: Aftermath

Hello! This is Dawnshadow, the author. I'd like to thank those of you who've reviewed. I'd just like to mention that, if you didn't see this at the beginning, that everything before this chapter has also been edited somewhat. Interlude One is all-new.

On with the 'fic!

* * *

~*~Chapter Two: Aftermath~*~

The battle was over. The firestorm had killed most of the monsters, and the rest were quickly slain.

The White Wizards, both Baronian and Mysidian, were busy through the night. Many Baronian soldiers had been injured fighting the monsters, and Edge's out of control Flame spell had also wounded-- or killed-- more of the militia. Most of the survivors were fully healed due to the wizards' efforts. One of the few that had not yet recovered was Edge. The Flame firestorm had drained his magical energy to the limit, and perhaps beyond. He lay unconscious in a small room off the hospital, so far gone that not even dreams could reach his mind.

Cecil hovered worriedly over him, his slight magical talent drained from what healing he had done during the battle itself. Rosa had gone to help treat the injured soldiers, with magic and herbcraft both, and had not yet returned.

"Cecil!" He spun to look at the speaker, and immediately recognized her. Rydia. She looked anxious. "What happened? Is Edge all right? Where's Rosa? Is anyone else hurt?"

Cecil sighed. "Slow down a bit. Now, in order... A huge army of monsters attacked the city. I think they were being controlled by some outside force, but who-- or what-- it could be I have no idea. Edge cast Flame on the monsters, but he somehow lost control of the spell and it drained him to exhaustion. He should be fine once he gets some rest. Rosa is healing our soldiers. Many were wounded fighting the monsters...."

Rydia nodded. "Were any of them hurt by Edge's spell?"

"A few were injured." True.... Cecil sighed, knowing that most of those who had been caught by the firestorm were instantly incinerated. But he wasn't sure how to explain it without making Edge seem like a monster himself. Cecil knew that Edge would never-- could never-- kill that many people on purpose.... It was a mistake, a simple slip of magic.

"Cecil?" He looked up from the spot on the floor he'd been staring at. Rydia was giving him an odd look. "Are you feeling all right?" 

"...I'm fine. Just tired." Rydia went back to watching Edge sleep. 

"Oh! Hello, Rydia." Rosa entered the room, looking rather fatigued herself. Cecil stood and held her close. "How is Edge doing?" she asked of Cecil.

"The same as he was before," he replied. "How are the soldiers?" 

"The Mysidian White Wizards have been a real help. We've healed the soldiers as much as we can, but some of them are hurt badly. And with so many lost..." She let Cecil lead her to a chair next to his own.

"Just relax. You need a break," he said, sitting next to her.

"So," Rosa said to Rydia, "what brings you here?"

"Leviathan sensed an elemental disturbance near here and sent me to investigate."

"Edge?" Rosa asked.

Rydia nodded. "I thought that was it at first, but one detail didn't quite fit."

"And what's that?" Cecil wondered.

"Leviathan thought it felt like a Fiend's power. But if it's _Edge_ we're talking about here, that would be impossible."

"Then maybe he was sensing the spell that was controlling all those monsters," Cecil suggested. "Could that have been a Fiend?" 

"Only if one that we fought survived. I took a few hours to do a little research before I left the Land of Summoned Monsters, and I found that a Fiend's elemental power builds slowly over time. There can only be four Fiends at a time, one per element, so any new Fiends to replace the ones we defeated won't have that sort of power for centuries."

"And if one survived?" Rosa asked.

"I don't know enough about them to tell what they'd do." Rydia sighed. "This is getting us nowhere."

"Maybe Edge will be able to help us when he wakes up," Cecil said. 

The three sat in silence for a while, each lost in their own private thoughts. They were interrupted by a soft groan.

"Edge?" Rosa asked, kneeling by his side. Rydia and Cecil stood behind her.

"Oh... My head....." Edge slowly raised a hand to cover his eyes. "This makes a hangover seem like a good thing...." he mumbled.

"What's the last thing you remember?" Rosa asked, silently preparing to cast Libra with what little magic power she had regained through her short rest.

Edge slowly uncovered his eyes, opening them slowly in the dim candlelight. "The battle... I cast Flame, and something happened. It just-- I don't know how to explain it, the power-- it changed... changed into..." He sighed, words escaping him. "I must have got hit with something, because I don't remember anything after that." Rosa's Libra spell washed over him.

"Hmm...." she mumbled, "...you're still fairly weak, but that'll go away with a little rest."

"Weak from what?"

Cecil moved next to Rosa. "When you cast Flame, it went out of control. You eventually ran out of power and collapsed from the magical strain. That's why you have such a bad headache."

"That's reassuring..." Edge replied. He uncovered his eyes and looked around. "Rydia... Nice to see you. When did you arrive?"

"Just a few minutes ago," she replied, slightly worried. _He's too weak to even try to flirt. This isn't a good sign._

Edge was silent. Rosa gently pulled the blanket over his shoulders. "Sleep now," she encouraged.

"I was just asleep a minute ago...."

"Hush," Rosa commanded, her voice gentle. "You're still very weak. You need to rest."

"...if you insist," Edge replied. He rolled onto a side, facing the wall. He quickly fell into a deep slumber.

Rydia sighed, returning to her chair. "Now, tell me exactly what happened."

"The monsters must have come out of the Mist Mountains," Cecil started. "I estimated that there were about five hundred of them, of mixed types. There was no visible commander, but they were fighting with strategy, in formation. Our troops fought, but were being pushed back. Then Edge cast Flame, and it ended up wiping most of the monster army out. The surviving monsters that didn't flee were easily eradicated."

Rosa said, "You said before that you assumed that they were spelled. But, if they were, you, I and every other person with the least bit of magical potential within miles would have been alerted." 

"Could the caster have shielded the spell?" Rydia asked. "Or might it have been a spell not of an ordinary variety?"

"Why would that matter?" Cecil replied.

"There are several types of magic," Rosa explained, "each with its own properties. Each magic-user draws on their innate magical power to shape the elemental forces that surround us into spells. Normally, magic-users can only sense spells in their own type- I can sense Wizard spells, black and white, and Rydia can sense Summons as well, where I would not. Neither of us can sense magic of other types- Ninja magic or the spells of the legendary Magic Knights, for example."

"...I think I understand," Cecil said.

Rydia sighed. "So we have five hundred spelled monsters and no explanation of how they got here or why they attacked Baron in the first place. Is anything happening that would attract anything's attention?"

"Nothing comes to mind," Cecil replied. "Do you think it could be Zeromus?"

"Already? It's only been a few months since we returned from the Moon." Rosa said. "If it is Zeromus again, we could be in trouble." 

"From what we know...." Rydia sighed. "I'm not sure if even Zeromus could summon up that much raw magical power."

"So... if this isn't Zeromus...?" Cecil frowned, concerned. _We were lucky to all survive the battle with Zeromus the first time. But the Crystal of Light I used to weaken it to the point where we could damage it is back where we got it from, in the Sealed Cave- and buried under several tons of rock and rubble. If this being is more powerful...._

"Maybe...." Rosa paused, thinking. "Cecil-remember the picnic? That ball of light?"

Rydia blinked, startled. "Ball of light?"

"Yes. About... three weeks ago Cecil and I were having a picnic when this weird bluish orb of light appeared. When I touched it, it sort of... disappeared-absorbed itself into me. I'm not sure exactly how to explain it...."

"Ro-Rosa-" Rydia sounded surprised. "I saw one too, a few months ago. I think, with the time difference between the overworld-the surface, here-- and the Land of Summoned Monsters, that would have been at about the same time."

Cecil said, "You saw one, or you... absorbed... it?"

"I absorbed it. A green one." Rydia looked at her hand. "Could that be it?"

Nobody answered. Edge stirred restlessly in his sleep.

"I wonder if any other orbs could have appeared...?" Rosa wondered. "And what they could represent? They have to have some purpose, I'd think."

"Yes, but what?" Cecil said. "Have either of you noticed anything unusual since you found them?

"Nothing comes to mind," Rosa replied. Rydia nodded in agreement. 

"Hmm..." Cecil studied the floor, then Edge. "Wait..." He walked to Edge's side and shook him gently. "Edge..." he murmured quietly, "just wake up for a moment.... Edge...." He was rewarded by a soft groan and an unintelligible mutter. "Wake up," he continued, still gentle. Edge slowly opened his eyes and glared at Cecil.

"I thought y'guys wanted me to sleep..." he said grumpily. "What do you want?"

"Just to ask you something. It's important."

"So important that you had to wake me up?" Edge turned over and pulled the pillow over his head.

"Did anything strange happen to you about three weeks ago?" Cecil asked.

"Actually... yes. I saw this strange ball of orange light." He put the pillow back under his head. "Why?"

"It's a long story. I'll explain when you're more awake."

"I'm awake...." Edge replied, yawning. Cecil quickly summarized what the three had discussed in the past few hours.

"Huh," Edge replied after Cecil had finished. "So you're saying that that orb could have had something to do with it?"

"It's possible."

Rydia suddenly grabbed for her pack and started digging through it. She pulled out an old-looking book written in a runic language. She began to leaf through it rapidly, then more slowly.

"Have you ever heard of the Legend of the Light Warriors?" she asked, reading through the text.

Cecil shook his head. "...Doesn't ring a bell."

"Anyway, thousands and thousands of years ago, these four warriors were given the four elemental Orbs- the Orbs that were later re-forged into the eight Crystals that we know and love today. The rest isn't important right now, but what if our Orbs are somehow related to the elements? I mean, we have fire," she motioned to Edge, "and mine would most likely be Earth, since it was green."

"I'm assuming mine might be Water." Rosa shrugged. "It was dark blue, aquatic colors."

"So we're missing Wind," Cecil said. Wind._ How many people could it be, besides _him_?_

Rydia shook him out of his thoughts. "Maybe there's a link, something we all have in common- including the missing person."

"We're all-no, never mind." Edge said.

"What?" the summoner asked.

"I was thinking we were all rulers, but you're not. And Cecil, along with about a dozen other people, are."

They continued throwing out ideas and discarding them like broken potion bottles. None of them seemed to have anything to do with their current situation.

"Maybe we should just start asking people we know, 'Hey, have you seen a bluish ball of light lately?'" Edge remarked. "It might be faster."

"Actually, you may be on to something," Rosa replied. "So far, we can't figure out a pattern, so why not just start asking people who fought by our side? That's just about all we have in common."

Cecil nodded. "Might as well start with Cid. We're going to need airships...."

_-^-_-^-_-^-_-^-_-^-_-^-_-^-_-^-_-^-_-^-_-^-_

Cid laughed. "Elemental orbs?" He looked from Cecil to Rosa and back again, then peered at Rosa through his eyepiece. "Look at that! You do seem to have some Water elemental in you now! But sure as Shiva I don't know nothing about it."

Cecil looked at Rosa, then back at Cid. "You can see that...?" 

"Yep, plain as day."

"Hmm...." Cecil said. _If he can _see_..._ "Think you could give us a hand?"

_-^-_-^-_-^-_-^-_-^-_-^-_-^-_-^-_-^-_-^-_-^-_

"So, we've got a plan?" Rosa asked as she entered their bedroom. Cecil nodded.

"Yes." He showed her the itinerary. "Rydia's going to try to summon Bahamut to take a letter to FuSoYa. I'm also hoping that we'll find some sign of Kain while we're talking to people...." Cecil sighed.

_If he's the one, we could have some trouble finding him. He could be anywhere.... _

"Anyway," he continued, "I was just about to write that letter." He sat at the ornate desk (a wedding gift from Toroia) and pulled out a parchment, ink, and a Chocobo quill, which he began to sharpen with a dagger. He dipped it in the ink and began to write:

Dear FuSoYa,

It's been a long time. I'm sorry for waking you, but we have a minor question. It seems that about three weeks ago, three balls of light appeared to three of my companions on our quest that ended with the defeat of Zeromus. We have deduced that these orbs have an elemental connotation, and so believe that a fourth has appeared to someone, most likely one who fought by my side. However, with no other common thread between the four apparent, we are forced to ask everyone we can think of.

By chance, have you encountered a light blue ball of light? That is the form that these strange spheres take. We know nothing of their purpose or their power, but we hope to find that out. If you happen to have any information that can help us, Rydia will be summoning Bahamut back in three days time, hopefully with a reply. Thank you. 

Sincerely,

Cecil

_-^-_-^-_-^-_-^-_-^-_-^-_-^-_-^-_-^-_-^-_-^-_

Bahamut disappeared into the Summon portal the next morning, a small envelope clutched in a claw. The four friends boarded the airship Enterprise and flew off into the sunrise.

* * *

Liked it? Hated it? Apathic? Find any mistakes? Review!


	7. Interlude Three: A Game of Marbles

**_~*~Interlude Three: A Game of Marbles~*~ _**

Ruby's trip back to Mysidia was rather boring and uneventful. It had finally stopped raining, although it was still cool and overcast. The wild creatures that attacked him were easily toasted, their Gil collected. Ruby wondered idly _why _the monsters carried money, since they didn't have the intelligence to use it. Maybe because it was shiny..? 

Mysidia was just as Ruby had remembered it-- wizards bustling everywhere, vendors busy selling magical supplies. The 'Wizard's City' was a busy port town, second only to Fabul, as well as being the magical capital of the world. Ships came and went almost daily. For Ruby, that was a good thing. Ruby found a ship-- the _Falcon_-- that looked as if it might accept a passenger. Climbing the ramp to board it, he quickly found the captain.

"Take a passenger?" he inquired.

The captain looked at him gruffly. "To where?"

"I'm heading for Toroia, but anywhere closer to there than here would be good," Ruby said.

"I'm headed for Baron. I'll take you on for six hundred Gil."

"Alas, for I've but four hundred to spare. Will that suffice?" Ruby asked.

"Four-fifty and you've got your ride."

"Done." Ruby took the requested amount out of his money-pouch and handed it over. The captain counted the money, and then turned to the Red Mage.

"We cast off at the tide. If you're not here, we leave... with yer money. So be back in an hour." 

Ruby bowed slightly. "I'm ready now, could you have someone show me to my quarters?"

"Aye, I will. Milon!"

The captain looked around the deck. "Where is that boy?" he scowled. "Must'a wandered off.... And 'e has the worst sort of time-sense, too. And no-one to go after 'im..."

Ruby looked at the captain thoughtfully. "I could.... for a small discount."

The captain glared. "All right, here's 25 Gil. 'E's got brown hair and is wearing an outfit of sackcloth. He's prob'ly playin' marbles-- that's 'bout all 'e ever does in port. 'E's never tried ta run away before, so 'e should be somewhere close."

"All right. I'll try my best, and be back within an hour," Ruby said. He then turned and walked off the ship.

_-^-_-^-_-^-_-^-_-^-_-^-_-^-_-^-_-^-_-^-_-^-_ 

It took Ruby twenty minutes to find a large group of kids playing marbles in an alley of the fish market. He managed to crowd close enough to see that a boy matching the captain's description playing against a red-haired boy wearing the shirt of a fisherman. The brown-haired boy-- Milon? -- shot a large brown-and-green marble into the circle. It knocked five of the small balls out of the circle, and he grabbed them and put them in a (large) pouch tied to a rope-belt around his waist.

_He seems good,_ Ruby thought. The game continued for several minutes more, and Milon won most of the marbles. After the last marble was shot out, the boy stood. "Sorry, but I gotta leave now. See you 'round!" The other kids glowered at him-- apparently, he'd won most of their marbles as well. Ruby stopped him as he walked off. 

"You're Milon, right? From the _Falcon_?"

The boy glared at him. "What's it to you?"

"The captain asked me to find him and make sure he made it back on time. And he said that he was good at marbles, like you are."

"Eh... well, that's me. And I ain't gonna miss the boat. I know what I'm doin'."

"All right." Ruby then followed the boy back to the ship.

_-^-_-^-_-^-_-^-_-^-_-^-_-^-_-^-_-^-_-^-_-^-_ 

The trip to Baron went smoothly. Ruby found himself in a small but adequate room below the galley. It rained on the second and third days of the trip, so Ruby spent most of his time in his room, reading a book on magic theory he'd picked up right before he left Mysidia. He did not dare to practice his magic on the ship, knowing that he could easily catch it on fire or do something equally disastrous.

Ruby ate separately from the crew, knowing that he would-- most likely-- not be welcomed by them. He simply took his food back to his room and ate it , alone.

On the third night of the journey, Ruby had just gone to bed when loud shouts from the deck woke him. "Pirates! We're under attack! Everyone on deck!" someone shouted. Ruby decided that it might be a good idea to assist in fighting. Pulling on his armor and grabbing his sword and orb, he went onto the deck with the other sailors.

_It's time to fight..._


	8. Chapter Three: Searching, Part One

**_~*~Chapter Three: Searching, Part One~*~_**

Damcyan, the city of fire. It had been built in the middle of a desert in honor of the Crystal of Fire that was hidden within its thick stone walls. Damcyan had no town surrounding it, unlike most kingdoms. All the people of the kingdom lived in the castle or in one of the villages on the border of the desert or in and around the (slightly cooler) Kaipo Desert to the south of the Mist Mountain range.

Cecil entered the castle in normal clothes and unannounced, not caring for the senseless ceremony his visit that royal etiquette would usually require. He looked around, admiring the reconstruction of the palace and marveling how much cooler it was inside. He had heard of the ingenious pump system that brought water from the vital underground reservoir through the castle walls to cool the residents, and was surprised to see-- and feel-- how well it actually worked.

The throne room was guarded, as were all throne rooms. Cecil stepped up to them, pulled out the medallion carried by Baronian messengers, and politely said, "I would like to see King Edward, please."

One of the guards looked at the medallion and nodded, and the other went in to inform Edward of his message. Cecil simply waited patiently, trying to look like a messenger and wishing he had worn a helm of some sort. Purple hair wasn't exactly a common trait...

The second guard returned. "His Majesty will see you now, messenger. Follow me," he said. Cecil did so.

Edward was seated on his throne, studying what looked like a piece of sheet music. He put it down and looked at his visitor.

"...Cecil! Why are you dressed like that?" Edward asked, surprised to see the King of Baron when he expected a mere message.

The Paladin-King laughed. "Sometimes it's worth not getting stuck in the political mire."

"'Political Mire?'" Edward smiled. "You know, if you'd tried this with some rulers, they would consider it an insult of the highest order... But, taking into account your lack of experience in a position of power and your efforts to save the world... I guess I can let it slide." What the King of Damcyan lacked in battle skill, he made up for in diplomacy. In the first few months following the Crystal Wars, Edward had spent nearly as much time teaching Cecil some semblance of royal etiquette (so that he wouldn't accidentally cause a war) as supervising the reconstruction and upgrade of Damcyan. "So, what urgent business brings you here unannounced?"

"I wondered if you had seen a ball of blue light, around three weeks ago."

"A blue ball of light?" Edward shook his head. "I've heard of nothing of that sort. I'm sorry I can't be more of a help. But, if you're not in too much of a hurry, and explanation would be nice."

Cecil sighed. "I suppose I owe you that much, at least. Three weeks ago, balls of light appeared to Rosa, Edge, and Rydia. A few days ago, Baron was attacked, and Edge called up a giant and uncontrollable Flame spell. We've been thinking, and are assuming that one more orb of light-- of Wind-- appeared to someone who fought in the Crystal War. But as to who, we have no idea."

Edward nodded. "I'll keep an ear open for news."

_-^-_-^-_-^-_-^-_-^-_-^-_-^-_-^-_-^-_-^-_-^-_ 

"Dude! That Flame spell was _awesome!_" Palom, one of the infamous Mysidian Twins who had accompanied Cecil on his quest to become a Paladin."You have to teach me how to-- Ow!" Edge grinned, watching Palom glare venomously at his sister as he rubbed his head.

"One does not address a King as 'Dude.' You should know that." Porom turned to Edge. "Please forgive his insolence, Your Majesty." She curtsied. "What is it you wish to ask of us?"

"Have either of you seen a light blue orb of light?" Edge asked. Palom started to grab for the Mursamune.

"No." Porom said to Edge as she hit her brother again. "And I'm sure that's sharp," she told her twin.

Edge thanked them. _No luck, _he thought. _But who else could it be?_

As he passed, a cloaked man watched with relief and went in the opposite direction.

_-^-_-^-_-^-_-^-_-^-_-^-_-^-_-^-_-^-_-^-_-^-_ 

Yang, the King of Fabul, wasn't much of a help, either. "To the best of my knowledge, the only thing of Wind we have here is the Crystal."

Rosa sighed softly. "Have you seen Kain, then? 

"Not since you came to visit me in the Sylph Cave. I assume he's not yet returned to Baron?"

"No. He left without a word..."

"Oh. I'll be sure to keep an eye out, then."

"Thank you."

_-^-_-^-_-^-_-^-_-^-_-^-_-^-_-^-_-^-_-^-_-^-_ 

"It has to be Kain," Rosa commented. The four had met back in Baron the following day, traded information, and gone to their respective rooms to rest.The only people they hadn't met were FuSoYa (whose answer was due the next day) and... Kain.

Cecil turned to look at her. "What makes you think that?"

"We overlooked the most obvious thing, that's why! Think about it: you, Edge, Rydia, and _Kain _all went to the moon to fight with me. That could be the link we were looking for."

"You... could be right about that, Rosa. Actually, it makes sense." Cecil sighed. "But... we don't have a clue where he went-- in fact, we don't even know where to start looking!"

"I know. But we have to try. After all, how many places could he have gone?"

"Um... about twenty. And that's just the obvious places to look. Searching everywhere there is to search could take us... years....

_Where are you? _Cecil thought. One morning, Kain had just been gone. He had only left a short note: "_I promise to return. Do not be worried. -Kain._ " Cecil had expected him to be back for the wedding, but he'd not turned up. Despite the note, Cecil couldn't help but worry... 

_Has something happened?_

_-^-_-^-_-^-_-^-_-^-_-^-_-^-_-^-_-^-_-^-_-^-_ 

The next morning dawned, all sunlight and Chocobo-down clouds in the sky. Rydia met Cecil out on the castle's battlements.

"Are you ready?" Cecil asked of the Caller. Rydia nodded, and started the chant to open the Summon portal. It opened, and the Dragon King Bahamut flew out, sweeping over the town, and dropped a small slip of folded paper at Rydia's feet before vanishing. Rydia picked it up, skimmed it, and wordlessly handed it to Cecil.

"Hmmm..." Cecil murmured, reading the letter.

Cecil:

FuSoYa is sleeping.. I will awaken him if you find it necessary, but I believe that if he had found such an object, he would have awakened as a result. Also, this phenomenon appears to be linked to the Elements of the Earth, and so we would most likely be well out of range.

I regret my inability to help you further.

Golbez 

"Well..." Cecil said, still looking at the letter, "this is what I was expecting..."

Rydia blinked, surprised. "You were expecting _Golbez_ to write back?"

"No. I meant I was expecting that answer."

"Oh. Well, that makes sense. So... what do we do now?"

"The obvious: find Kain."

_-^-_-^-_-^-_-^-_-^-_-^-_-^-_-^-_-^-_-^-_-^-_ 

Rosa found herself in the garden once more, watching the maiden pour her jug of water into the fountain. Somehow, the sight never bored her.

_Could it be because of the odd... elemental connection? What do those orbs have to do with anything? I wonder what the Water power I supposedly have does, anyway..?_

She would find her answer soon enough.


	9. Interlude Four: Power

**~*~Interlude Four: Power~*~**

The _ Falcon_ was not built for battle, and its sole cannon was not enough to fend off the pirates' ship. By the time Ruby made it to the deck, some of the pirates were already aboard the _ Falcon._ He decided that, even though it was his most powerful element, Fire would probably end up being a suicidal move. Deciding that Bio would be the most effective spell in his current situation, he started chanting, aiming at a large clump of pirates.

The effect was immediate. The afflicted pirates fell to their knees, feeling rather ill and weak. That was all the excuse the crew of the _ Falcon _ needed to attack and slay the pirates. The other pirates were seemingly unaware of the spell having been cast, Ruby noticed. _They don't realize that the crew of the _ Falcon_ has a mage helping them. This could be useful if I play it right..._

Ruby quietly cast Sleep on a few pirates that had some of the _ Falcon's _ crew members backed into a corner. They hesitated, giving the sailors an opening. He continued his subtle rampage, knocking enemies off-balance discreetly enough so that none of the non-affected pirates noticed their allies' predicament. He silently regretted not being able to give them a fair chance, but the crew was very much outnumbered by the pirates. It evened out, all things considered.

Suddenly, Ruby became aware of a slight... tingling sensation on his magical senses. He wondered what could be causing it, as he was the only mage around that he'd noticed. At that time, the pirates retreated onto their own boat. Ruby slowly reached out, trying to sense the nature of the spell.

_Water. It's water. This could be a problem..._ "Everyone hang on!" Ruby called.

That was about the point when a tidal wave hit the ship, sending those who had not heeded Ruby's warning-- or those who had not been fast enough-- over the side of the ship.

_No spell could manipulate water in that fashion! But... what could channel that sort of power? An orb like mine?_

The pirates re-boarded the _Falcon _ with the confidence that they would win. Ruby carefully went over to the pirates' ship, planning to seek out the holder of the other orb.

_I'm sure that, as a Light Warrior, he's perfectly good and such. He just must be...misguided. I'll be able to make him see the light._

And a pirate jumped out in front of him, rapier drawn. Ruby, in reply, pulled his own short sword from its sheath. He blocked several quick and inaccurate blows before deciding that the pirate in question was rather drunk. _He can't fight in this condition. Well, might as well..._ Ruby chanted Sleep, all the while fending off the wobbly blows. The spell took easily, and the pirate slumped to the ground in a sound slumber. Ruby moved on, following the slight tingle against his senses that signaled the orb's power. It led him to the main deck of the ship, where only the captain stood. 

_Wait. A pirate captain. He can't be the one. He's supposed to be--_

"You took your time getting here, little mage." The voice was full of malice. "So... is it my power you desire? Well, you're not taking it!"

Ruby blinked. "No... I just wanted to know if you, too, were a Light Warrior."

"Li- Light Warrior!" The pirate was surprised. "Would you seriously think that _ I _ could be a Light Warrior? Truly... I've found a great source of raw power, but I'm no fool of the Light. I deal in darkness and Death, I."

"Then... you do have an orb?" 

"An orb! Is that what you call it? Well, I don't know. Let me see yours for comparison."

Ruby held his orb out cautiously. The pirate looked at it for several moments.

"It's one of those, all right. Now..." He drew his sword, "give it to me, or die."

Ruby returned the orb to its pocket. "Why do you want it?"

"The power. I already hold power over the element of Water. With that Orb of Fire, all that rides on the ocean will be subject to my mercy."

"Oh."

"So give it to me... or die." 

"Didn't you just say that?" 

"I _really_ meant it this time!"

"How melodramatic of you," Ruby replied. _Who does this guy think he's kidding? You'd think he was quoting straight out of a 25 Gil novel. 100% Stereotypical Bad GuyÔ at work,_ the mage thought with amusement. _But, if that's true, then how _does_ this guy have an Orb? Did he steal it from its true owner?_

The captain lunged suddenly, his rapier drawn. Ruby barely managed to keep his head from being separated from the rest of him, and quickly pulled out his own short sword. He held it in a defensive position, wishing he had thought to get his shield and armor out of his cabin aboard the _ Falcon._ The pirate captain swung his sword at Ruby again, catching his chest through the thin cloth tunic he wore. Ruby quickly chanted a curative spell, then the White spell of Protection. The magical barrier that appeared around him was somewhat comforting, but Ruby knew that its power wouldn't hold up for very long. Ruby realized that his best bet would be to try to dodge the pirate's attacks until he tired, then go on the offensive. Sure, he could just cast Sleep, but the captain didn't have magic. It just wouldn't be fair in this sort of duel.

The pirate captain's sword struck the magical barrier over the mage's left shoulder and bounced off, causing Ruby to flinch as the force hit him through the barrier. Ruby fended of the next few blows, parrying them with his sword, and barely dodged a blow that slashed a hole in his cape. He struck quickly, but his short sword just bounced off the other man's heavy armor. 

_Useless. I'll have to find a weak point when I attack, or else I'll just exhaust myself without making a dent. _Ruby continued to dodge the blows, feeling the Protection spell erode with every hit the pirate got in. Ruby realized he couldn't hold up for much longer. Whether the pirate captain had magic or not, Ruby had to do something.

_"Power of Thunder, deliver Your jolt--  
I call on the force of the lightning Bolt!" _ he chanted, and lightning rained down from the clear sky, shocking the pirate. He was knocked down, and Ruby waited patiently for him to pull himself back up. 

The pirate captain gave Ruby an odd glance. "Why didn't you attack me?"

"You couldn't defend yourself," the mage replied as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

"You do realize that you are an idiot," the pirate replied, charging again. Ruby parried, still hoping that his opponent would tire, allowing him a chance to go for a chink in the armor. However, it was quickly becoming obvious to him that this enemy wasn't going to tire easily.

_What am I supposed to do now?_


	10. Chapter Four: Discoveries

** ~*~Chapter Four: New Discoveries~*~**

Cecil, seated at the large desk in his and Rosa's chambers, sighed deeply. Three weeks had passed since they had started looking for Kain, with not a clue in their favor. It seemed pretty much useless; the Dragon Knight had vanished without a trace. The paladin tried futilely to think of somewhere they hadn't looked. All the cities had been checked, as well as the Mist Cave, what remained of the Tower of Babel, and Mt. Ordeals. (Edge had found signs of an old camp at Mt. Ordeals, but no further clues. Even if it _ had_ been Kain, he'd somehow vanished again.) There seemed to be nothing to do but wait.

The monster attack of the previous month remained a mystery, as well. The monsters near Baron remained at their normal levels, and not a word of trouble had reached his ears. That was disturbing; monsters did not appear out of nowhere. Cecil tried to relax, in vain.

Rosa suddenly approached Cecil from behind and hugged him, startling him. Since he had become King (because of the fact that King Odin had named his foster-son heir) he had changed slightly. Rosa had found that as King, Cecil became almost constantly worried about the state of the kingdom, not to mention that his fear (fueled partially by Edward's joking comments on his habits) of inadvertently committing an international _ faux pas _ that would launch Baron into another war sometimes seemd to overwhelm him. He had, simply stated, been raised to be a fighter and not a King, and was half-terrified at the prospect of doing something wrong and bringing the entire kingdom down because of it. (Rosa had pointed out that, despite all of Zemus' (quite literal) manipulation, Baron was still doing well, and nothing Cecil did was likely to ruin it, not to mention that the other nations were so grateful for Cecil having _saved the world_ that they would forgive almost anything he might reasonably do. Cecil hadn't seen her point.) 

Cecil turned to look at his wife. "Oh," he said, "it's you."

"Who else?"

"...I don't know. You just surprised me."

"Thinking again?"

Cecil was silent.

"Kain?"

"How did you know?"

"We've done all we can. Wherever he went, he doesn't want us to find him. And after what happened, it may be better to wait until he shows himself." Rosa gently pulled Cecil to his feet. "And besides, if he's the one and he reacts like Edge did, then we'll definitely notice." She sat on the bed

"But neither you nor Rydia have shown any sign that those spheres _ did_ anything," Cecil replied. "Edge seems back to normal now, too. All we're going off of is a Fire spell gone out of control and a few strange lights. We could be chasing a phantom here!"

"Cecil, could you please bring that pitcher of water over here?" Rosa asked. Cecil, puzzled, did so. Rosa motioned for him to sit beside her on the bed, which he did. "Watch," Rosa instructed. She closed her eyes and focused.

Cecil watched her, slightly confused. _What is she doing?_ he wondered. Abruptly, he saw the water in the pitcher move. He hadn't touched the pitcher.

"What the..."

A small tendril of pure water slowly rose out of the water. Cecil looked up at Rosa, whose eyes were still closed in concentration. _ Are you the one who is doing this?_

He cautiously touched the tendril, expecting his hand to go through. Cecil found with some shock that the surface was smooth and gave only a little, and that his finger was still dry.

"Rosa... are you doing that?" 

"...Yes...." She sounded very distant. "I can... feel...."

"Feel what?"

"...Everyone."

"What do you mean by that?" 

Rosa blinked, and the water tendril changed back into ordinary water, falling into the pitcher with a soft _splish._ "That didn't happen before," she commented.

"What are you talking about? It's obviously not the water!" Cecil was beginning to panic somewhat. _This is very, very weird._

"While I was... moving the water, I could sense people in the castle. It was dim, but I could," she paused, searching for the right word, "almost see what they were feeling at the time. You especially... wonder, curiosity, fear..."

"Can you now?" Cecil asked. 

"No. That didn't happen when I tried it before." Rosa looked down at her hands. "I'm almost frightened to try it again."

"Then don't." Cecil gently pulled her closer to him. "You don't have to do anything...."

"All right." Rosa snuggled against her husband, glad to have him there. "Well... at least we know those balls we've been obsessed with actually _ did _ something...."

"Is that a good thing or a bad thing?" Cecil asked.

"I don't know."

The two were quiet for a while, simply enjoying each others' presence. Then Rosa turned to look at Cecil. "You know," she said, "I almost forgot that the Spring Day's Festival starts tomorrow."

"The Spring Festival already?" Cecil asked, surprised. "It doesn't seem like it should be so soon." 

"Well, we _ have_ been busy. But you should make an appearance. The people have been worried since the monster attack last month, and you've not been around much. You need some relaxation."

"I know. So... we go out tomorrow?"

"Yep."

_-^-_-^-_-^-_-^-_-^-_-^-_-^-_-^-_-^-_-^-_-^-_ 

The potion bottle hit the wall and shattered, splashing Edge with the healing liquid. Fortunately (for him,) the bottle had missed his head.

Unfortunately (for Rydia,) that failed to discourage him. "Come on!" he exclaimed. "It's not like you have anything better to do."

"For the last time, ninja boy, I am not going _anywhere _with you! Not to a concert, not to a show, and _ definitely_ not to a bar! I'm not even old enough to drink, since I was born seven years ago!"

"You're seven?"

"No, I'm twenty. But I was born seven years ago, which makes me too young to drink!"

Edge blinked at her. "But if the drinking age in Baron is sixteen..."

"All right. See you in nine years then."

"...and if you're _ twenty..._ "

"Seven!"

"...then what's the problem?" 

"Forget it. Why don't you go do something useful? Look for Kain or something."

"_ That_ traitorous bastard?"

"That's the guy."

Edge turned to face the wall. "Sometimes, I don't know how I manage to put up with you." 

"You put up with _ me?_" Rydia said skeptically. "Who's trying to get you out of their room?"

Edge didn't take the hint. "What problem do you have with having a little fun?"

"What problem do you have with leaving me alone? _Ay, tre aviinyo..._"

"What was that?"

Rydia smiled. "Runic."

"Huh?"

"The elder language of the Phantom Beasts."

"...Oh. So, do you want to go or not?"

Rydia smiled. "_ Kest'au pau aurion te'levi, sel paui te'peria iiser onya ko. Astee?"_

"Is that a yes?"

What Rydia had really said was: 'I would ask the water light, although the pouncing cat wouldn't like it. Understand?' But she replied: "As soon as you figure it out correctly, you'll know the answer. Okay?"

"Hina," the Ninja replied. Then he went to find a Runic-Kaipan dictionary.

If only one actually existed....

_-^-_-^-_-^-_-^-_-^-_-^-_-^-_-^-_-^-_-^-_-^-_ 

In the library, Edge managed to find a book on languages that mentioned Runic. He started to read.... 

_One of the things many people ask is how the entire world of Earth speaks a common language. The answer to this is fairly simple. You remember that in the year 1253 TL, the kingdom of Kaipo decided to go to war. As is widely known, they managed to conquer the entire continent of Cardia (except for Fabul and the Mist Village.) Because all official business within the Empire was, by law, done in Kaipan, the nations gradually adopted the language._

_After the fall of the Empire, many of the nations kept Kaipan as their official language, and eventually it became the "common" language, spoken by people of almost any nation. It is still the official language of the nations of Damcyan (which Kaipo is now a part of) and Baron._

_Most other nations have their own national language, but the Summoners of Mist, another territory of Damcyan, have their own language, Runic, which they claim comes directly from their Phantom Beasts. Most Mystians only speak a little Kaipan, preferring their own language...._

Edge closed the book. _ Boring..._ he thought. _ And there doesn't seem to be a translation dictionary anywhere._ _Oh, well._

_-^-_-^-_-^-_-^-_-^-_-^-_-^-_-^-_-^-_-^-_-^-_ 

The Spring Festival was Baron's largest holiday, although it had started long before Baron was founded. Many centuries ago, the Dragon Knights had rode powerful, intelligent dragons called _ Hiryuu_ in battle. The Spring Festival was a celebration of the _Hiryuus'_ hatching season, when new dragons were born and new Dragon Knights were chosen as their partners. Unfortunately, the _Hiryuu_ were genocided in a great invasion of the city of the Dragon Knights. The surviving Dragon Knights adapted a dragon mounting technique into their deadly aerial attack and, eventually, founded the kingdom of Baron.

In modern times, the Spring Festival was simply an excuse to celebrate. And celebrate the Baronians did, bringing color and life to the otherwise dull city. The streets were filled with performers, merchants' tents, foreign visitors, and the residents of Baron. It was generally a fun time. The Festival had been lackluster the previous year, but even the war and the recent liberation from Golbez's control hadn't been enough to completely dampen the festivities.

Cecil found that it was hard to get into the spirit of the Festival. The last time he had been to a Festival, he was a Dark Knight, content to follow the orders of his King. In only two years, his life and his world had changed so drastically that to say "it had been turned upside down" would be an understatement.

He had decided to go to the Festival in normal clothing, not wanting to draw attention to himself. Rosa had wanted to spend some time with her mother, so Cecil had decided to go alone for a while. Although he wore common clothing and carried no weapon, the King still attracted attention, even from those who did not know him by sight. He had a strange charisma about him that made people watch him and follow him devotedly, and not even he knew how he did it. 

Lost in reminiscence, Cecil failed to notice that he was being followed. He wandered through the crowd, not paying much attention to what was happening around him.

A woman's scream followed by a loud _thunk_ snapped him out of his reverie and he quickly spun, searching for what had caused her shriek. He suddenly noticed a knife sticking out of a wall just inches from his head.

_That almost hit me! What's going on?!?_ Cecil thought, confused for only a few moments as his warriors' instincts kicked in. He grabbed the knife and fell into a defensive position, back to the wall. Now... who threw this? 

Another knife sailed out of the crowd somewhere, hitting Cecil in the leg. He winced and hissed in pain, then began to cast a healing spell as he pulled the knife out of his leg. Abruptly, a sharp dizziness struck him, bringing him to his knees. _The blade must have been poisoned... _he thought, struggling to cast the healing spell. A shadowed figure came closer, and he caught sight of another blade out of the corner of his eye.

"Holy!" a hoarse voice shouted. A ball of white light flew at Cecil's assassin, and he fell to the ground. Cecil tried to finish the spell that would restore his strength, but found that his energy was waning. What poison was that?

"Here, your majesty. Take this." It was the same person who had cast the spell. His voice sounded as if he had been plagued with a sore throat for some time. Cecil tried to look at him and caught a glance at white robes, a long white rod, and long, greased down black hair. Cecil took the Antidote and drank it.

"Now..." Cecil's rescuer rasped, pointing at the assassin, "to finish you off... Aero Blast!" A visible distortion built in front of the robed man's hand, and he made a motion as if to poke it towards the assassin. It flew at him, a ball of wind so intense that it literally tore the man to pieces and deposited them in a bloody pile of gore.

_What in the worlds was that?!? Cecil thought. He'd thought that the man was a White Wizard, but after that spell it seemed like he may have been wrong. _Then he realized that the white-robed man looked just as shocked, if not more, as anyone else in the crowd that had gathered. The wizard's face paled, and suddenly he turned and ran.

"Somebody follow that guy!" a man shouted, and a majority of the crowd started an insane dash in the direction the mage had taken. Cecil pulled himself up with the assistance of a few people who had remained nearby. _Who was he? I'm sure I've never seen him before, but he seemed so familiar..._

_And why would such a powerful White Wizard need to _hand _me an Antidote instead of casting the spell_?


End file.
